Killing Dance
by Bella-n-Edward4Eternity
Summary: AU. It's world war for factions of the Lore. Sexy Vampire Lord Edward is out for vengence when his father goes missing. In retaliation, he captures pretty Bella from an enemy clan. Sparks fly. She's his prisoner, but she captures his heart. LEMONS.
1. THE BEGINNING

**Full summary (as promised): **

**In an utterly warped version of reality, a furious war ensues between five adrenaline-driven clans. It's a world where you live for the hunt, where you kill someone and you just don't give a damn. In fact, you do take the thrill and excitement in it. Because in this world, there are no humans, there are no laws, there are no boundaries.**

**Even when all is fair in love and war…**

**Separated from his family in a recent battle, Edward Senior unconsciously enlists the help of Bella Swan, an ally from an opposing clan, to reunite him with his son and wife. Traveling across frontiers, Bella finds herself in a fix, as she falls captive to a dangerously seductive rival, none other than the very person she seeks, Edward Masen son of Edward Senior. The ungrateful (but still sexy) vampire refuses to listen to her, as she attempts to convince him that she is a friend, but maybe it's more than an alliance he seeks. Trouble brews and sparks fly. He claims her as his prisoner, but she has captured his heart.**

…**they will only play to win.**

**Disclaimer: Twilight, respective quotes and phrases, belong to Stephenie Meyer, and respective novelists.**

**Chapter 1: THE BEGINNING**

Edward Anthony Masen, now Edward Anthony Masen Black- oh how he shuddered at the thought of that- sat across Billy Black, a dark- haired lycanthrope with a matching pair of soulful dark eyes, A.K.A his stepfather.

He cast an unnerved glance at Elizabeth, his mother, as she took the enemies' side, the side of the vile, unruly, _inhumane_ creatures. Despicable, he thought, turning away from the unbearable sight, unconsciously denying the undeniable truth.

Fixing a glare on Jacob, step- brother and sworn nemesis, he stared down the young werewolf, daring the inexperienced junior to challenge him, a trained expert in combat. Quite expectedly, his little brother nicely rose up to the occasion, taking bait and stepping forward with what was meant to be an arrogant sneer gracing his handsome, yet so very young, features. Under different circumstances, Jacob would have appeared quite the competition, but compared to the ruthless, well- defined planes of his face, Jacob seemed to be no more than an untamed pup.

"Jacob," Billy warned, and he had to smile, the old man was no fool, he knew a threat when he saw one, and he- Edward- was certainly not one to be trifled with.

Edward rose in one languid movement, crossing the room with an unnatural grace only achieved by the undead. As he made it to his goal, the sturdy wooden door that would have taken him out of the room, Elizabeth's pointed words halted him in his tracks.

"My good son, surely you'd be polite enough to greet your sire and brother?" her tone was slightly chiding.

Edward tossed a bored look over his shoulder, "These bea- creatures have naught to do with me. It is my duty as your son that binds me to you, and thus them, while this-" he struggled to complete the sentence, unable to utter 'marriage' or 'matrimony' with the memory of his father so clearly imprinted on his mind, "- _partnership_ has failed to receive my approval, you have my due respects, dear mother."

He left his mother, stricken and upset, feeling heavy with the sense of guilt burdening him. Once again, he had allowed his temper to get the better of him, but how could he not?

In their recent battle with the Fae, Edward Senior- his father- among those who had risked themselves, was lost to the magical beings' dangerous wrath. Elizabeth, with her people- and more importantly, her son- in mind, allianced their tribe, the Undead, with the Lycanthropes, through a method deemed quick and efficient, but not entirely acknowledged of. Marriage.

Up till then there had been five tribes. The Undead, the Lycanthropes , as fore- mentioned, the Heaven- bound, a most gentle band of angelic beings, though infinitely dangerous when provoked, the Underworld, nasty fiends who understood and inflicted the true meaning of hell, and lastly, the Fae, there could be but one word to describe them, they were 'death'.

While each tribe vied for complete domination, none were completely free from weaknesses. Fire would very well do the job for the Undead, being one, Edward only knew that too well, and silver, as it was common knowledge, did away with lycanthropes. Destroying those of the Heaven- bound and Underworld was much trickier, as their 'fatal flaws' were yet to be discovered, but not entirely impossible. Furthermore, love and hate proved to be well and thorough distractions for the passionate immortals.

Fae, on the other hand, were a completely different story. They were quick to react and fast to kill. Unlike the tribes mentioned, there was nothing in them to hesitate in pity or spite. They were killers, the true depths of the word. Then again, these were no more than rumors, for not one survived in the horrific battle, not one lived to tell the tale, and all that was left of their troops was an everlasting silence of death.

Edward groaned in resignation, turning on his heel to approach that dreaded room, an apology ready on his lips. It was the only respectable thing to do, the only sensible thing to do. Betrayed and hurt, he would never forgive Elizabeth for marrying a _beast_, an atrocious dog, however, she was still his mother, and nothing in the world could change that fact.

"I behaved-"

"Edward, my son!" Billy continued, "We have a most brilliant plan! I've heard from Elizabeth how badly you've wanted revenge for your father- lord bless his soul-"

"My father's not dead," Edward said with a conviction he did not feel, he couldn't bear to admit aloud his father's demise, for there was not a single corpse left of the battle, and a tiny shred of hope remained in Edward's still heart. Perhaps, they escaped from their doomed fate… Perhaps, they were returning home this very moment…

"Of course, of course," Billy agreed uncommittedly, "But surely you'd like to triumph the Fae in war? We've received delightful news! A small party of those vile creatures-" Edward nearly snorted at that, how ludicrous it sounded, "-are to cross our land, and word says that th-"

"They'll go through the woods," Jacob jumped forth, unable to contain his juvenile excitement, "Where it's thick and dense, and it'll make picking them off truly easy, _and_-"

"_And_ while that's undoubtedly satisfying, it'll serve us no purpose," Edward added, his tone speculative, "I would suggest we capture one of them to act as our… lab rat."

Stunned silence filled he room, Edward mildly wondered if he had committed some kind of faux pas among the were-creatures, not that he cared, because he didn't.

"Excellent idea! My son!" Billy chuckled, patting him on the shoulder; Edward winced inwardly at the contact, but made no move to retreat, as it would be a sign of defeat.

Jacob grudgingly slapped him on the back, "Nice one. I've thought of that though, but you beat me to it."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"Bullshit."

"Says who?"

"Says I."

"Yah, but you can't read my mind. So who are you to tell me what I _haven't_ thought?"

"I can," Edward grinned, surprisingly light- hearted while his rowdy, pup of a brother provided something of an entertainment, "Read your mind, I mean."

"Say what?"

"I said 'I can. Read your mind. I mean.'"

"Err… Yeah," Jacob grimaced in disbelief, eyeing Edward with such new-found wonder in his so very innocent, so very young eyes, that Edward, big brother cum enemy that he was, couldn't help the strange alternating urges, to pat him on the head and punch him in the gut- he settled with neither, "I was sort of hoping that I'd developed hearing problems."

"Oh." That seemed inadequate, but what was he to say? 'I hope you develop hearing difficulties too, but oh well, undeath's simply unfair and that's no the case'? Certainly not.

"Sooo…" Jacob, being his naïve, curious self, couldn't help but ask, "Tell me what I'm thinking."

Edward rolled his eyes, oh the irony, where he came from, most would rather he steer clear of their minds, "You're thinking, 'Why am I stuck with a smart-ass, good-for-nothing corpse as my _big brother_, and jeez… Hate to admit it, but his mom is hot!' You did _not_ just think that."

"Heh."

"That's… That's…" Apparently at a loss for words, Edward cussed under his breath, "You, of all people- how would you put it? - have the hots for my mother?'

Jacob laughed, and his thoughts went from 'Dum dum dee dee dum' to something along the lines of 'What a moron, I can't believe he fell for that!'

"I can't believe I fell for that either."

"Aww… Don't be a spoil sport, it's just a joke!"

"I'd too prefer it if I didn't have an insensitive, immature imbecile for a little brother, _little brother_. So our feelings mature."

As Edward strode away, a thought infiltrated his senses and just about blew about blew up his ear drums, if that were vampirely possible. He cringed inwardly, almost staggering, but regained his composure in the nick of time to simply cast an annoyed glare at the room's occupants, the look of irritation setting about his features nicely.

Jacob, an epitome of smugness, met his eyes, unperturbed.

'_Yup, you heard that, __**stiff-necked old geezer.**__'_

Frowning, Edward continued on his way out. Perhaps making known his little talent was not exactly the brightest idea, Jacob was sure to raise hell, or so to speak, but nonetheless, he could use this to his advantage. The pup had much to learn, and Edward, big brother cum enemy that he was, was more than willing to teach.

Isabella Marie Swan, more commonly known as Bella, ran a hand through her hair, currently styled as a perfect sheen of chestnut brown to the middle of her back.

Despite the glaring sun, she had on a thick denim jacket that masked her curves, and more importantly, her shoulder holster with a very real, very authentic, 9.9 mm berretta autopistol, not that it would _ever_ cross her mind to _ever_ pull the trigger, but in times of war… who knew? Clad in a pair of faded jeans and a comfortable T-shirt sizes too big for her, not forgetting the jacket, she was 'Plain Jane' personified, right down to the footwear- scruffy sneakers, Yup, nothing much to see there. Best friend cum cousin, Mary Alice Brandon, had something to say about that, the loyal pal that she was, but Bella knew she was just the average elf, pretty on the best day, decently average on the others, that was it.

"Miss Sw- Miss Bella!"

Bella pivoted around in surprise, catching sight of a well-built vampire, with unruly bronze hair and a pair of startling gray eyes. He flashed her a charming smile, baring his dangerously sharp teeth, and waved his hello. Edward Masen Senior. In the recent battle with the Undead, their very first participation in the great war in fact, they had found, not death and bloodshed, but friends and allies instead. It was a most fortunate incident. Most soldiers smitten, the troop of Undead warriors decided there and then to pack their bags and move in. Then again, the Fey had mercilessly placed the sirens on the front line, unsure of the outcome, but pleased with it.

It was said that Edward Masen (Senior) had been one of those strongly opposed to… accepting the Fae's hospitality, but, apparently, being overruled, had no say in the matter. Many swooned at the sight of him, however, were too intimidated to approach the nice gentleman. Bella, on the other hand, thought he was wonderful company. Yet, she, like the rest, knew something was unsettling the friendly vampire, and thus, was dead set (if you'd forgive the pun) on prying into his matters, as, Alice would say, any friend's duty.

"Mr Edward! It's nice to see you… Not that I can, you're practically as glaring as the sun!"

True to her words, his brilliant skin was glittering in the sunlight, he laughed, and it was truly a nice sound, "My apologies, Miss Bella. What can I say? I'm stunning."

"You're in a good mood today."

"I am."

It was the day, Bella knew it, the day she got him to spill his guts. An elf's intuition was never doubted, not that she had much elf in her, but still…

"So today's the day."

"'The day', you say, Miss Bella?"

"Yup."

"Is there a special occasion today, if you don't mind me asking?"

She shrugged.

"Miss Bella, you're being as mysterious as my son after trailing his childhood sweetheart all over town. And that's a feat!"

Aha! She got him there! My Edward always had little to say of his family. "Your son?"

"My Edward," he replied wistfully, and Bella was close to clapping her hands in glee, "Ah… He was a great soldier. That boy. Followed orders magnificently. Great in combat to… Good times…"

Proper Mr Edward wasn't speaking in complete sentences; she never thought she'd see the day. Hell, that could only mean one thing, she was onto something! Bella leaned forward, her tri-coloured irises glowing bright, "Your son. Edward, right? He's close to you? I mean, do you guys do whatever guys do in those kinda father-son bonding time, or whatever you Undead call it?" she paused, before thoughtfully adding, "What the heck do you do anyway? I sure can't see you shopping or having girly tea parties." The image of Mr Edward, epitome of masculinity, garbed in the fancy get-up Alice had in stored for her was horrifying and graphic.

"In answer to your question, we spar… Or you could call it target practice, in your tongue." Mr Edward gestured to the **Browning??? **with a glittering hand, blinding her in the process it was a hazard to her eyes.

Bella blinked.

"Oh… Okay. You guys have guns too? Funny, I'd never thought- Well, never mind. That's cool; at least we have something in common. Hey, do you think we could -what's your way of saying it? Spar?- sometime? It'll be fun, and we have spares up for grabs, never gonna run out of guns here. It's a waste of resources, I can't imagine why we'd need that many, but-"She gave him a once-over, "Say. You don't have your gun here, do you? Or are you hiding a holster somewhere? I-" then realizing they were getting off the subject, continued, "think it'd be great if we could all get together someday to, you know, play around. You, me and your son Edward."

He looked horrified.

"Are you suggesting a ménage àtrois, Miss Bella?"

"Mena–No!" _Ménage __à__trois._ That was French for 'threesome' or 'triad' or something disgusting like that, right? Oh. _God_. **No.** She could feel the mortification written all over her face, mirroring Mr Edward's, "No! Eww! No! I meant target practice. Together. It'll be perfect, and good practice too, I'm a little rusty these days."

"I see. I'd be more than glad to be practice, but my Edward… He will not be able to make it…" Mr Edward finished awkwardly.

Bella was honestly puzzled.

"Why?"

"He is.. No here."

Blanching, she gulped, "Was he… _killed_ in the war?"

"No," Mr Edward smiled; quick to reassure her, or perhaps himself, " Edward is very, very skilled. He will never be easily defeated in combat. My son does not go down without putting up a fight, and it'll be quite a fight if I do say so myself," Mr Edward looked puffed up, the picture of a proud father, "The chances of my Edward losing is minimal. To put it mildly-" then apologetically "-I don't mean to sound conceited, but I am confident of his abilities."

"So…" Bella asked in confusion, not quite following their conversation, "Why is he not here?"

"Because… Because he did not come with me."

Understanding lit her eyes, as she finally realized what was on the troubled man's mind, "And you miss him. Right? I'd bet my next paycheck you're missing him crazy!"

"That is certainly one way to put it."

"Hah!" Bella grinned triumphantly, "Wait till Alice gets a load of this!"

"Pardon?"

"Oh, nothing. You should totally have told us from the beginning. We were going nuts trying to figure out why you were… _you_. As in: you, the guy who turned brooding into an art form. Now don't you worry, Alice and I will fix that, just wait and see!"

"Miss Bella–"

But Bella wasn't listening, far from it in fact, she was racing up the steps, vanishing in a matter of seconds, leaving a very puzzled Mr Edward staring after her.

He continued, to no one in particular, "–I don't need any fixing."

Bella, on the other hand, had a brilliant plan all laid out in front of her, a mission she would call it. The Fae, in contrary to popular belief, were compassionate creatures, offering their assistance was considered a second nature to them. After all, weren't elves known to be Santa's little helpers? Other species, such as pixies and fairies, were not any different, although, like any rule, there were exceptions, in this case so happening to be the goblins and sirens.

"Alice!" Bella called out, as she caught up with her mischievous best friend cum cousin.

Mary Alice Brandon, preferably Alice, was- unlike her cousin- a pure-breed. A bona fide, fully-fledged pixie. Whereas Bella, despite her elfin status, had a little blood of everything, even the Siren's seductive genes! Alice, with her cropped black hair, and warm butterscotch pixie eyes that took up half her face, was as adorable as they could get. Dressed in a cute pleated mini and a tight-fitting cashmere sweater that emphasized her full curves, she was an old goblin's wet dream.

"Bella." Alice smiled warmly, reaching over to hug her, before taking a good look at what Bella had carelessly thrown on, "Oh. My. God. I think I need my inhaler. Bella!"

Bella winced, "You would think that I've committed a crime. And Alice you don't have an inhaler."

"Bella! With your interests in mind, please, _please_, let me in your wardrobe. I can't take it if you show up in… in _jeans_ again. _Jeans_! As if that's not bad enough, a _T-shirt_! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? _And are those shoes any good?_"

Bella stared down at her well-worn sneakers, protesting defensively, "They're designer shoes!" Oh, only too well did she remember the heartache when she paid for those too-expensive shoes at Alice's insistence. Damn. She swore never to buy another pair, till they were rendered useless. Which they were. Or soon to be.

Alice arched an eyebrow, "They're scruffy."

"They're designer! That's got to count for something."

"They're designer scruffy?"

"That's not the point."

Alice let out an exaggerated sigh, throwing up her hands in an exasperated way that said, 'Fine. You win. I'm not going to say anything. For now.'

Bella drew in a breath, preparing herself for the declaration, "Alice, I–"

"Let me guess. You're pregnant right? I'm so happy for you!"

"No! Will you let me finish?"

"Oh. No? I was hoping that you'd finally got around to losing your virginity. Your first make-out session then?"

"Alice!"

"Well, what is it?"

"Mr Edward–"

"Sweet! You're dating that sultry but unbelievably hot vampire? Although, I have to say he's a little too old for you. But he's not getting any older is he? I mean physically– Oh heck. It's none of my business anyway. You have my approval. Not that you need it–"

"He's married!"

Alice frowned, "Too bad."

"And he has a son!"

Alice perked right up, "Good for you!"

"This. Is. Not. About. Me."

"Your loss. I'd bet anything his son's as sexy as he is. Did you see that body? Yum!"

Bella groaned, rubbing her temples in frustration, they weren't getting anywhere, "Okay. Are you in the _least_ interested in helping me help Mr Edward at all? The reason why he's so down in the dumps is because he's _missing his family_. At least I think so. I didn't exactly stay to clarify. And I sort of promised him we'd help him out…"

She finished the long speech all in a breath, tired of Alice's _unhelpful_ interruptions, which left her gasping for air- _not_ in a good position for a comeback- as her brat of a cousin eyed her critically.

"Why didn't you say so?"

"That's 'cause–"

"So we're going over to VampLand to–"

"Alice? _VampLand_?"

"–fetch his family, right? Piece of cake. We'll just go through WereWoods–"

"_WereWoods_?" That slight interjection went sailing over her head just as the previous did. Ignored. As usual. _Damn_. How did Alice _do_ that? Brushing off every comment that came her way. Bella admired that. It also pissed the hell out of her.

"–and that's easy enough. I'll ask around and see who wants to tag along. The more the merrier, don't you think? Just remember to pack lunch, I'm no good without my regular meals. You know that. I absolutely lu- urve your sandwiches! You know that too! They're the bomb! You–"

"_Yes_, I _know that_, I got it. Listen Alice, this is no picnic!"

"It's a walk in the park. Don't forget those sandwiches."

"No really, it's–"

"Yes, really. Don't you trust me? Your beloved, _trustworthy_ cousin?"

"Do I have any say in this?" Bella pleaded half-heartedly, expecting the expected answer.

"Let's see… Well… No."

She sighed in defeat. Dismissing Alice with a final wave, Bella trudged back home. She had plenty to do. Topping her priority list was: 'Dig out guns and magazines from armory. Heck. Throw in a machine gun if that'll work'. Despite Alice's devil-may-care attitude, Bella reasoned that they might need some form of defense, though hopefully, as Alice predicted, they didn't. Well, next on that non-existent list was, 'Get a proper set of clothes- _Bella's _definition of proper' the kind that's sturdy, and would do wonders hiding a gun, not Alice's too revealing outfits, which would naturally _reveal_ the guns. Maybe she should remind Alice to bring her inhaler, her flighty cousin sure was going to need one, Bella thought in smug delight, picturing Alice's resentment at her fashion sense.

And somewhere down the long, _looong_ list came, 'Pack the sandwiches.' Note to self: Don't ever forget this, unless you're up for the wrath of Mary Alice Brandon. Bella made a face, before grinning goofily. She was almost looking forward to this little 'walk in the park', Alice was a stellar psychic, she wouldn't let them down. If she said the trip was a go, then it _was_ a go. And Edward Junior sounded only _too_ interesting. Who knew? He could be The One, couldn't he? Well, _couldn't he?_

**END CHAPTER**

**Author's note: The long-awaited (well, not exactly) confrontation's up ahead in Chapter 2. So now there's but one thing for you to do. And that is, if you please, to review.**


	2. THE CONFRONTATION

**Okay, I know that I left this story to dry and rot for a bit, all right, more than a bit, but I can totally explain. I was a lazy, sad pathetic excuse for a fanfic author. There. I said it. So don't come banging down my door, or throwing pig's blood at it, 'cause the next chapter's finally up, and it's pretty long, which was why I took a hell of a time writing it. And in answer to XxSarcasmIsMyWeaponxX's question: Do the Fae in this story have wings? Well, some of them do, others don't. If you've read Meredith Gentry by Laurell K Hamilton, you'd know. I base them slightly on the sidhe, but not entirely. There are elves, goblins, sirens, the works. So yeah. Thanks for all the smashing reviews, they really encouraged me to continue with this fic at the expense of future use of my fingers. And now, without further a due, here's Chapter 2.**

**Disclaimer: Twilight, respective quotes and phrases, belong to Stephenie Meyer, and respective novelists.**

**Chapter 2: THE CONFRONTATION**

"Where _are_ they? Hey, pops, you're _sure_ you heard right? We've been waiting for _ages_, and I don't see a single thing! Not a _single_ thing! Don't they know to keep on schedule? I can't believe it! They're heartless bastards, _and_ they're late!"

Edward groaned in frustration, suppressing the urge to knock his _little brother_ out cold. No one had bothered to mention that these dogs were as annoyingly whiney as they were vicious; a mere moment with them could drive him insane. "We've been waiting here for approximately thirteen minutes twenty-seven seconds and counting, which I would not consider as 'ages' in the very least, and _would_ consider 'a short while' at the very most. Aside from that, why don't you send them an invitation if you want them on time?"

"Har-de-har-har." Jacob mumbled, but finally –yes, _finally_– to Edward's relief, shut up. Unfortunately the comfortable silence, of which he could _really_ get used to, lasted no more than a minute, as Jacob soon ranted and raved a long stream of complaints like the irritating rabid dog he was. Then, after what had to be the worst moments of his life, his yowling pup of a brother declared a sore throat and –to his amazement– fell silent. Edward could have almost broken into a victory dance, _almost_.

"Holy shit!" Sore throat mysteriously and magically gone, Jacob gave a harsh whisper that had Edward cringing in horror, thinking thoughts ranging from the exacerbated '_What now?_' to the exasperated '_Why me?_"

"They're here! They're here!"

"You would have thought they were honored guests at a reception."

Jacob, the child he was, childishly stuck out his tongue, not quite caring how ridiculous he appeared, and Edward, in response, gave everyone, including himself, a surprise, by cracking a grin at the absurdity of his situation.

"Christ! You actually _do_ smile! I'd thought you were like a moving piece of rock, but you actually have _a sense of humor_!"

"Zip that godforsaken mouth of yours, less we alert them."

Jacob snorted at his choice of words, but was clearly disgruntled by the fact that the moving piece of rock had more sense than he did, Edward, close to another smile, caught himself in time to remain impassive. Whatever amusement he found in his _little brother_ was most unexpected.

An indistinct chatter came to his attention, and Edward instinctively shifted his focus to the rowdy approaching party. The Fae, oh how that single thought raised his hair and hackles all but at the same time. He loathed and despised them, yet feared them so, and loathed and despised them for that very reason, the very army that destroyed their troops and broke their faith. They were monsters –fiends, whatever it was– they were cruel, sadistic beasts, horrible vile creatures… who strolled leisurely, picking their way though the foliage , and laughed and joked and munched on tidbits carried in hand baskets.

"_Them?_ Those _children_ are The Fae?" Edward asked in disbelief.

Billy, looking as if he shared his sentiments exactly, could only shrug, "We should never judge a book by its cover."

"But they're puny weaklings!" that blatant insult came from Jacob, who was, after all, a child himself.

"Perhaps," Elizabeth continued mildly, "these are the offspring of those the lot of you so detest. They have yet to be tainted with their ancestors' dark teachings. We could hold one hostage or as Edward here suggested, capture one to access their physical flaws and abilities."

Billy smiled, "Nicely put."

Edward did nothing but stare fixedly at the cheerful group. Was it morally right to punish them for their elders' mistakes? Why were they to suffer for mistakes not their own? For all he knew, they were innocent lambs to the slaughter. Then again, these _children_ could be the very ones who decimated his friends, his comrade-in-arms, and… his father. As Billy had proclaimed, looks can certainly be deceiving.

"Erm… Edward dear? Edward?"

He snapped out of it, to see his mother waving her hand in his face, trying to claim his attention. "Is anything the matter, mother?"

"Billy thought that it would be nice for you to lead the attack, you'd like that, wouldn't you? I remember oh so vividly how you'd plead your father for a chance of that. 'Just imagine the glory!' You'd tell me; but you haven't had your chance, have you? Go ahead, and give it a shot. It's your big moment now!"

Elizabeth looked so terribly pleased and happy for him, that Edward, the loyal son he was, with filial piety do deeply ingrained into his upbringing, didn't have the heart to say 'no', to tell her that the act meant nothing to him now and what had mattered most then was his father's pride to have him as a son. So he simply banished his memories of the beloved Edward senior and said rather stoically, "It is an honor."

With that, Edward led the eager lycanthropes towards their blissfully unaware, utterly helpless prey, and as his heart soared out to them, the only coherent thought in his mind was 'Run. Don't let us catch you. Run.'

The littlest one was the first to spot them. She was a perfectly crafted porcelain doll, with glittering eyes, a dainty nose, and lips painted a sweet pink, curved in an 'O' as she shrieked their arrival. The party scattered, and Edward had to admit, most of his kind, as quick as they were, could not compare to the speed of these light-footed creatures.

"Dammit! Go, Alice! Don't just stand there! Go!"

Edward's eyes found the doll, eyes wide as a leopard lazily stalked her. His heart clenched in fear. She was a mere child, like the petite ballerina figurines his mother kept on the display shelf, how was she to face the brute animal? The leopard lunged, and Edward closed his eyes, torn between his rationality and some basic instinct to protect the weak. Just then, a sharp imitation of an explosion filled his senses, sparing him the decision as the large beast fell in a heap. What in the world happened?

"Bella! Thank god! I thought I was going to be cat food for sure! Any spares?"

A hooded figure approached the doll. This one was different, unlike the little one's fragility, Bella, as she –he assumed it was a 'she'– had been addressed, was tall and lean, her body was trim, with the decisive movements that made her more predator than prey. He saw in her the mark of a soldier, the cold streak of ruthlessness he found in himself. This Bella had a certain level of potential.

"What were you thinking? You were just _standing there_! God, it's like you're holding this giant, bright, and flashy neon sign saying 'Eat me'. I _told_ you something like this would happen. I _told_ you. _I told you._" Bella admonished, and Edward grinned inwardly.

"But Bella," the doll –Alice(?)– protested, "You said no sudden movements around wild animals! That _was_ a wild animal!"

"That was _not_ a wild animal! That was a _were_-animal!"

"Erm… Rule Number Three, should we meet up with a were-animal, shoot its head off with a gun?"

"And if you don't have a gun on you?"

"Run?"

"Bingo!"

Edward chuckled softly, Bella would be the one, if the lycanthropes so desperately _needed_ a prisoner, he wanted it to be Bella, she would most definitely be something to study, a fine specimen to observe. He wanted to learn more about her, no, he wanted to learn _everything _about her.

"Give it a rest Bella," Alice pouted, crossing her slim, barely muscled arms, "Wild animals, were-animals, what's the difference? They're all just big pussy cats. Or dogs. Besides, I _saw_ this coming; I _knew_ you'd save me… Oh. Shit."

The doll's eyes widened, staring up at _her_ shaking figure, looking as if she had let slip something she absolutely shouldn't have. Bella, with her back to him, appeared to be at a loss for words, and when she finally found them, they were, "_Mary Alice Brandon_!"

Alice winced noticeably, and Edward figured Bella's expression must have been beyond furious, bordering on murderous. She hissed, her voice low and menacing, which sort of aroused him in an animalistic carnal way, but that was _absurd_ and _obscene_. A man of his status, Edward had always been neither; however, he was completely helpless to do anything about his terribly enthusiastic response or massive erection. It was most disturbing, and thinking of a freezing cold shower didn't seem to help his cause either. In fact, his mind was wandering to several possibilities of sex and cold showers, impossible possibilities of sex and cold showers. Perhaps the Fey creatures were not the children he thought them to be, Bella certain wasn't. She was all woman, at least he hoped she was, it would be extremely disconcerting to discover _she_ was _male_, and _he_ was gay, or she _was_ a child, and that'd make him a pedophile.

"I can't believe it1 You deliberately kept this from me! And don't try to blow this off, our lives are at stake here. A little warning next time? A head's up? A hey-we're-soon-uder-attack-by-gian-morons-with-sharp-teeth-and-big-appetites?"

"Hey, cuz," Alice interjected, not in the least intimidated by her hysterical best friend, "Are you expecting a 'next time'?"

Bella threw up her hands, "How am I supposed to know? I'm not the future-seeing psycho in the family. You had better start talking, cuz," she drawled the word, throwing it back at the smug looking doll, "Right. About. Now."

No sooner those words left her mouth, a 'giant moron' lunged out of the bushes, all claws and teeth and bristling russet fur. Edward would have recognized that particular moron anywhere. It was none other than Jacob, moron indeed.

"Aww… A puppy! Woof woof!" Alice crooned, not a hint of sarcasm in her honey-coated voice.

Jacob growled his response, gearing back, ready to pounce. He snarled, ostentatiously displaying his dagger-like canines, every lycanthrope's pride and glory.

As his little brother allowed yet another vicious bark Edward's ideal Fey specimen stepped forward, gun in hand, except hers was unlike any he'd ever laid his eyes upon. It was sleek and black, a perfect match for its owner. They made a deadly pair, macine and Fey.

"Back away, Wolfie. You don't want to play with me."

Ah… The warrior in him basked in sheer excitement. Edward's eyes appraised his deadly enemy with new-found hunger, starving for the thrill of not just a simple fight, but a challenging one; _and_ the thrill of other things, _indecent_ other things that questioned his sanity.

Jacob snapped now, clearly annoyed.

"Back away."

Jacob advanced, warily, Edward noticed, as he leaned back fully against the tree trunk, bracing his weight to take the strain off his muscles. He was going to sit back, relax and enjoy the show. He had the best seat in the house, his branch at the top of the tree had a bird's eye view of the drama, and best of all, neither party was aware of his presence, giving him a complete advantage. He'd be a fool to let an opportunity like this to slip by. And Edward Anthony Masen _Black_(Oh the horror) was no fool.

"Freeze," Bella warned, her mere voice had him as horny as he had been centuries ago when he was no more than unskilled adolescent, how very embarrassing– and strangely nice, "I know that's clichéd, but heck I don't care. You better think twice, Wolfie, 'cause I'm so ready to bust someone's ass right now, and you're lucky if it's not you."

His mutt of a brother grunted in frustration, oh what fun! Edward chuckled. The poor boy was all ready to mouth off, but in his current state, doggy sounds were likely the best snide remarks he could come up with, and they weren't exactly the desired clever repartee.

Edward tuned in to his little brother's thoughts, preparing for the amusement that was sure to come his way, and half hoping to catch a glimpse of Bella's face. But he didn't want his first look to be marred by the haze of thoughts, he wanted it to be perfect, to see her as who she was.

_Damn. If she__–__ Hmm. So Bella was all woman after all__–__ calls me 'Wolfie' one more time. T swear I'll…_ Edward grinned at that particular train of thought, trailing off into a string of garbled threats. But he didn't approve of what 'Wolfie' had in stored for the Fey, should it come to that. Not in the least. Bella was his, he frowned at the possessive edge those words had taken. Queer, he thought, but quickly dismissed it, for the little act playing out before him was drawing close to its climax.

Jacob pounced. Alice screamed. Bella pulled the trigger. A shot rang in the air; his cue, Edward smiled sardonically, as he slipped down from his perch with the stealthy ease of all undead…

And landed in a pool of fresh red blood.

* * *

"Goddammit! The friggin' bitch shot me!"

Bella glared at the tanned, muscled teenager, fifteen give or take a few years. The boy should be in high school, not running around on all fours playing cat and mouse… _Dog_ and mouse? Whatever. The point was_ Wolfie_ shouldn't even be _here_.

"Erm… Bells? A little help?"

Keeping the injured lycanthrope in her peripheral vision, she turned to Alice, whose voice came as an alarmed squeak, rather than its usual indifferent cooing. "What is– Take your paws off my pal."

The leopard hissed; eyes openly hostile.

"Aww… Hell… Give a girl a break, willya?" She whipped out her second firearm, both hands steady as they trained each weapon on an enemy, wolf (now currently a boy struggling into his boxers) and leopard.

Almost as if it had a mind of its own, her hood –which did its best veiling her face and hopeless plainness– fell to her shoulders, leaving a cool breeze to fan her flat lifeless hair. A cool breeze that teased her senses, tasted thick, cloying, richer than chocolate and was oh… Much_, much_ better than air. A cool breeze that came in slow deliberate breaths.

Bella withdrew her gun at the still dressing boy, jamming its barrel behind her and meeting a hard, male body, 'hard' as in 'granite hard' or 'marble hard' not quite exactly the usual 'muscled hard'. Her instincts kicked into gear. Turning, she dodged a hand to face her opponent, placing her back to the wolf, decidedly less of a threat, although she was no more comfortable doing so.

"Hmmm…" Enemy Number Three muttered, his emerald irises intent as they carefully appraised her. He was fully clothed and beyond gorgeous, unlike a particular lycanthrope now grunting while fumbling with his belt. My Great-Eyes-Great-Body-Great-Everything stared, and Bella stared back, sub-consciously noting the guy's finer points. Brood shoulders, long tough arms sporting good hands with slim straight fingers –they were capable hands, a pianist's hands– nice flat washboard stomach, narrow hips, and legs that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles… Wasn't he a fine package? Fine didn't cover it, heck, calling a body like that fine was practically an insult!

Her gaze drifted upwards to his face, and she sucked in a breath. W-ow. If those perfect abs of his weren't enough to have any girl fall at his feet and worship the very ground he stood on, his face definitely did the job. Large eyes, that were as beautiful as they were frightening, glittering a deep green and hard as stones. Gemstones. His features were all angles and planes, from the broad span of his forehead, well-defined cheekbones, sharp aristocratic nose, to the strong line of his jaw. His mouth was sensuous, a sculptor's delight, and seeming the only aspect of his Bachelor-of-the-Year beauty that was actually less harsh; bottom lip almost tender, although his top was thin and cruel. He looked good, in a bad way, in a really bad way.

"I would have imagined you less… _boyish_."

Figured, she met the world's sexiest male specimen, and his first words to her had to be close to an insult. Bella raised her chin in defiance, "Excuse me?"

"That's 'cause she did a little DIY plastic surgery. It's a fae thing, don't sweat it," Alice, the _traitor_, piped up helpfully, "They sorta rearrange their faces and… Tadaa! Just like that. It'd work to her advantage if she wanted it to. What a waste of talent."

Hot-and-Mysterious regarded her with interest, "Indeed."

"Again. _Excuse me?_"

"If you'd be so kind as to reveal your true nature, I'd be most grateful. It's simply good manners. You don't see me hiding behind a mask now, do you?"

"Uh-huh. But if good manners mean ambushing unsuspecting innocents, sneaking up behind their backs, and holding their friends hostage, then no thank you. You can forget about me being all meek and mild and well… _mannered_," she spat it out as if it was a curse, "I'd rather be rude, I'd rather be nasty, I'd rather be…"

"You have a bit of a temper."

"And you have bad manners. Oops," she widened her eyes, all nice and bambi-like, "I mean you have _fantastic_ manners."

"Fair enough, " he raised a hand, and the leopard retreated, like with a snap of his fingers and it was done, totally bizarre, yet cool, "Would that earn me your good manners? Oh dear lord, I meant, your nasty manners."

"No way, pal. I'd bet that spotted thing's lurking behind in the shadows somewhere _and_ ready to pounce on Alice at the snap of _your_ fingers. The minute –no, the second– you have what you want; you're gonna sic him on Alice, like your personal pet leopard! Ha! Got that right, didn't I? I can see it on your face, you sneak! Yup, Sneaky's your middle name–"

"Well, actually it's Anthony."

"–And you can take whatever sneaky trick up your sleeve all the way to hell with ya!"

His eyebrows rose, and his lips twitched; he wore no expression at all, but somehow still managed to look amused. It instantly got her back up. Did he find anything of their current situation funny? That jerk.

"Is there something particularly amusing here?"

"You."

She nearly choked, "What?"

"You. Talking to you is a most fascinating experience. And infinitely refreshing after all the boredom I was subjected to for the past months."

The teenager positively growled. Bella snorted, but made a vague gesture with her gun, just to remind him it was there, "Well, I can't say this conversation's been a ball, but… Thank you?"

"You're most welcome."

"Wait. Was that as insult?"

He shrugged.

"You are the most irritating, annoying creep I've ever met in my entire life. You know that? And you're one to talk about good manners. You, Oh Well-Mannered One, did not start with the conventional and boring 'Nice to meet you, my name is Bloody Asshole', you decided to introduce yourself by _breathing down my neck_!"

"Ah… Although, erm, 'Bloody Asshole' has a certain, uh, ring to it, I feel obliged to correct you, for my name is Edward Anthony Masen… Black. I am most pleased to be of acquaintance. And you are?"

"Hah! As if I'm going to tell _you_ anything!"

"Isabella Marie Swan. Bella. It's a very pretty name."

She preened, hey, a girl liked some compliments, even if she was a stubborn gun-wielding Fae, "Thank– say what?"

Edward tapped his temple, "Mind reader."

"You can read minds."

"Yes."

"You can read _my_ mind."

"Hmm…" That stumped him for a moment, "Well, no," Then– _almost_ as if he _could_ read her mind– continued, "But I can read hers." Edward punctuated his sentence with a brief gesture in Alice's general direction.

"Oh."

"Come. We are in need of your presence."

"I don't think so, El Sneako. And jeez… What am I? A dog? Come. Sit. Stay. Give your doggie commands to wolf boy over there, but don't try them out on me, I'm not some pet you can put a leash on."

"Pity," he muttered under his breath, his voice so smooth she wouldn't have thought it capable of sarcasm, "Shall I escort you to a more comfortable venue then?"

"Puh-leez. You think I'm dumb enough to believe that? _Right_."

"Right."

"Right?"

"I was simply being polite and agreeing with you."

"Well, you weren't supposed to, numbnuts."

"I see," the sneak sighed theatrically, "It seems our societies' etiquette lessons differ a great deal."

"No kidding."

Edward unleashed the full potential of his terrifying eyes on her, and Bella swore its effect was immediate, she could have melted at his perfect feet. "Then," he continued smoothly, "Let me speak in terms I m confident transcends our social differences–"

A troupe of giant pussy cats (and dogs) descended upon them at the snap of his fingers, that lying, despicable–

"–You will come with me, or I will take every single one of your people, and I will draw their deaths in the slowest, most torturous methods deemed vampirely possible."

–unreliable, cocky… "Bloody Asshole."

"I am not a patient man, Miss Bella."

"Bloody Asshole."

"Either way, you will come with me, at the expense of your companions, or otherwise. And although you may think of me as a heartless monster, I do not prefer the latter, so if you'd be so kind as to make your choice?"

"_Your_ friends? They are going to _die_," Bella spat angrily, her tone every bit as derisive as she could will it to be, "These bullets? They're hollow points, filled with witch magic, otherwise known as poison. So right now, right this moment, as we're wasting our precious time, standing around looking like complete idiots (that would exclude us Fae) wolf boy, along with all the other friggin' morons I shot at– and I never miss a shot, is withering away and turning to ashes. They'd be nothing before any of them can lay a paw on _my_ friends."

At that, the nicely tanned skin of the smug teenager paled, an unhealthy sallow undertone colored beneath his healthy shade of golden brown, turning him slightly green. The poor thing. He was so very young, and unlike Edward the Asshole, he probably didn't mean much harm. Bella glared at her bronze-haired opponent, who met her eyes unfazed… Undisturbed. His voice was muted and steady, just as his gaze was.

"Are you willing to test that theory?"

And for a moment, her firm resolve wavered. Bella instantly strengthened her will once more, coldly staring back at those beautiful emerald irises, which in turn, turned her bones to jelly. How very dangerous Edward Masen was! Bella paused, the name repeating itself in her head, like daunting echoes in a hallowed cave. Edward Anthony Masen, son of Edward Masen Senior and Elizabeth Masen. Great soldier. Very, _very_, skilled. _And_ a vampire. Oh, fuck.

Their entire conversation played out before her, Bella had never felt this _slow_. Her wit was one of the best things about her, yet she too had failed to _see_ the striking resemblance between father and son, _or_ spot the _obvious_ hints scattered within his turn-of-the-century talking. Heck. He formally introduced himself, and she, the clueless sheep she was, missed that too. Rage was a red haze that blocked almost everything out.

"Hold that line. Back up, slick. Can you rewind back to 'My name is…'? There must be something in my ear or something… I completely spaced out, so can you run that by me again?"

"Certainly. Edward Anthony Masen," here, he appeared to be choking on something, although she had no idea whatever it was a vampire could choke on, "Ah… Bl– Bla– Black. Edward Anthony Masen Black. Pleased to be of acquaintance."

"Edward Anthony Masen… Black?"

"My mother remarried."

Suddenly, all that coughing made sense, now that she was in a similar situation. Returning her guns to their respective holsters, she turned to face Alice, choking too hard to care if someone took her from behind. "Alice," Bella croaked, her throat ridiculously dry, "Please tell me there's something in my ear. It's really funny, 'cause I think Mr Edward's _son_ just told me that Mr Edward's _wife_ just _remarried_."

**END CHAPTER**

**Thanks a bunch for reading, Chapter 3 might take a month, 'cause it's **_**really**_** long, I've written it out, but it'll take me hell to type everything out, let's cross our fingers and hope that **_**my**_** fingers survive after all this extended typing. Review if you please!**


	3. THE COMPROMISE

**Okay, I originally planned a longer chapter, but it's late, and I'm cramming for timed assignments and common tests, and I know I should have updated during the holidays, but typing was really unappealing because my computer's lagging. Oh, and that's no excuse. So yes, bad Bella-n-Edward4eternity, no cookie. Here's Chapter 3. Half of it anyway.**

**Disclaimer: Twilight, respective quotes and phrases, belong to Stephenie Meyer, and respective novelists.**

* * *

Edward could not believe his eyes, or his ears for the matter. As the ebony-haired female spluttered, her features shifted. Eyes widening, Bella's long lashes seemed to sweep her cheeks as she blinked rapidly. Her nose appeared a dainty curve, unlike the sharply defined ones Edward grew so used to in his home town. And her lips… Oh god, those lips. He had never seen a pair better made for kissing than the ones she was running her sweet tongue across right now. The were ripe , and glistening a pretty pink, her bottom lip soft and plump, perfect for any man, preferably himself to nip on as he deepened a kiss. They were just the sort to have many a hot-blooded male to crave for a taste. He was no exception.

Then again, something she mentioned had caught his attention. As he waited with the slightest hint of impatience for the swearing to cease and the brunette to recover her composure, Edward could not help the small sprout of hope in his heart, although he was certain for all that he knew, the Fae could be excellent masters of deception.

"Well, Bella," the petite doll was saying, "There is something in your ear; it's sure not what I heard."

And she said it so earnestly, Edward almost could have believed her, but he knew what he heard with a confidence few could muster. And Alice's thoughts told him she heard exactly what Bella did, even as she claimed otherwise with a face so deliberately innocent that if he hadn't been able to read her mind, he'd been completely fooled. Excellent masters of deception. Uncertain what to make of the situation, Edward returned his gaze to Bella, whose thoughts were strangely a mystery to him, and from _her_ mind, he plainly received a long silence.

"Thanks Alice."

"Anytime."

Bella then transferred her focus to him, her pretty irises leaving their mark on his photographic memory. They looked so terribly unique, Edward swore he could be lost in those warm shades of brown forever. They weren't like the perfect glittering ones that stared back at him from a mirror, but they were by far the most interesting. An outer ring of darkened caramel framed her irises, followed by a shade of milk chocolate, deepening to the last ring of black coffee that was almost as dark as her pupils.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Bella."

Edward arched his brow, "I believe we've established that."

"Uh… Right."

"Do the unspoken rules of social etiquette require of me to agree?"

"Yup."

"Then… Right."

Bella chewed on her bottom lip nervously, and Edward couldn't take her eyes off that disturbingly innocent, yet oh so sexy, motion that was no doubt among her list of bad habits. She stopped chewing, and Edward released a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. Instead Bella pursed her lips thoughtfully, as if weighing her words.

"I don't know how to break this to you– trust me, this is going to be a huge shocker– so I suggest we take this nice and slow… And while I'm doing the breaking bit by bit, you're going to shut up, and listen, and understand, and not be a big jackass, or I will personally drag you by the ear to your dad, who's a great friend of mine by the way _and_ currently counting on me to bring you and your mom– who just _remarried_ may I add– back with me to Fae territory, so that you'll be one big happy family once again."

"My dad?" he repeated dumbly.

"Oops."

"My _dad_. _My_ dad. _My dad_." Edward never thought he'd be able to use those two words together again; but here was this _Fae_, telling him that _his dad_ was a 'good friend of hers' and 'counting on her to bring him and his mom back with her to Fae territory' as she had so eloquently put it, and much more importantly, still alive. It was unbelievable, in a strangely believable way.

"That wasn't exactly er… nice and slow, not much of the bit by bit either, but you get the idea."

"He is… fine?"

"Wonderful, in fact." Bella assured quite convincingly; and anticipating the next question, she added, "He is there on his own free will. All of them are allowed to leave if they really want to, but none of them do for one reason or another."

Then she muttered unintelligibly, but Edward could have sworn she said something that sounded like 'going gaga' and 'bimbo sirens'. He'd no idea what 'gaga' was, and prayed to god it was a good thing, or Bella was going to be one Fae, as his vulgar _little brother_ liked to call it, 'neck deep in shit'.

"My father is well."

She grinned, and it was a nice grin, a seemingly real one, "Yup."

"I am glad."

"Don't be," his vulgar _little brother_ spat, balefully glaring at Bella, who was calmly meeting his hateful eyes, "That Fae is a lying, conniving bitch, you know that. They can't be trusted! I'd just bet your dad's locked in some kinda weird-ass sick torture chamber and… and… And living on Pig's blood!"

Alice turned a dainty nose up in disgust, "We're not as uncivilized as you are, mutt-y boy. But I'm honestly curious, Wolfie. What do you do when you're, you know, having fun? Chase your tail in circles? Play fetch? Here's a stick."

The petite innocent-looking creature waved a tree branch that could very well have matched her in height, "Fetch, boy, fetch! Oh. No? Or maybe you rut like mongrels with unsuspecting females. I can see it in your eyes; you dominate your women, and fuck them senseless, till they're bruised, battered and broken. How barbaric."

Mutt-y boy launched himself at the pretty little Fae, almost instantly a blur of russet fur and glistening jagged teeth. Edward would have stopped him, truly, he would, but a certain lithe Fae had taken the initiative to step between the gigantic bristling dog and its intended prey.

Raising her gun to deflect a swipe, Bella pulled another out of what seemed to be thin air. Although Edward was more than a little convinced that she had a holster hidden somewhere underneath those all too concealing clothes. She pressed it into a thickly furred shoulder, at least he thought it was the shoulder, and pulled the trigger, no shaky hands or second thoughts. The crunch of broken bones was unmistakable to Edward's ears, and he winced just slightly, as Jacob howled in pain, an arm effectively rendered useless.

"Don't mess with me, Wolfie. That was a warning. Ignore it, and I will kill you." The dainty thing said it so matter-of-factly Edward couldn't help but smile.

"I would prefer it if you didn't."

"Then," she continued tersely, purposefully not looking at him, "You should house train your dog."

Edward knew his smile was bland, as his _dog_ gave a threatening low growl that resonated from the back of his throat. Bella, on the other hand, regarded _both_ of them warily, while shifting her guns ever so cautiously, such that one was trained on Jacob, and the other on him. It told Edward just how capable she was at killing. He didn't mean a thing to her yet, and she would kill him ruthlessly. If it was to protect her friend. And if she could. It was then Edward gave them a treat to one of his very rare full-blown grins, and called out to his pup of a brother.

"Patience, my brother. You still need her antidote."

'_I know. I know. You can hear me, bloodsucking mind reader?' _

"Of course," he replied carelessly, feeling quite satisfied to see Bella blankly staring at him, before awareness took the place of her confusion, and she narrowed her eyes. He continued, this time addressing his pretty prey, "We shall negotiate things, and discuss if you are indeed trustworthy, Ms Bella. For now, I will exchange the freedom and well-being of your people, for the antidote you speak of and you. It is but on my word of honor."

"Me." She repeated incredulously.

"Your… companionship."

Suspicion coloured her tone, "And?"

"And your… obedience."

"I don't obey anyone, bucko."

"With the exception of me."

"_Exusez moi?_"

"_Avec l'exception de moi._"

"Oh put a sock in it! You're gorgeous and you speak perfect French, with the accent down to a pat, but the fact that you're flaunting kinda ruins it."

"I do not flaunt, _mon mignon_," Edward chided amicably, "I prefer the term 'put one in one's place'. You are too bold for your own good, _ma fifille_. Although I am flattered, for my French is far from perfect. And I believe… I 'spaced out', as you call it, for I missed what you said before. Could you… 'run that by me again'?"

Twin spots of red colored her cheeks prettily, "Erm… 'Put a sock in it'?"

Edward shook his head.

"I… er… really don't remember. Sorry."

He laughed, "_Menteur._"

"Seriously. Don't flaunt it. I meant that."

Edward struggled to keep his expression stoic, a challenge he hadn't remembered challenging, after all this time in his enemy camp, "I shall endeavor not to flaunt it in your presence, Ms Bella. You have my word. But you must admit. You are a liar, and not a very good one."

"Fine," she huffed, "You're gorgeous, it's not like you don't know that anyway. It's just a fact, and it doesn't mean anything."

"Of course," he agreed, placating.

"So don't read anything out of it."

"I won't."

"And I'm not your _'mon mignon'_ or your _'ma fifille'_." She said empathically, "I'm not your pet or your little girl. I'm not very little you know. We're as immortal as you guys. I could even be older than you."

"Indeed, but if we may return to the matter at hand?"

"The antidote and myself for my pals?"

"Yes."

"All of them?"

"All of them."

"Shake on it."

"Pardon?"

'_She means to shake hands, you piece of rock.'_

"I see," Edward nodded, more to himself than his annoying puppyish brother he was more or less growing accustomed to (a fact he wasn't prepared to accept, much less announce it to the rest of the world). His snowy white hand, so pale compared to Bella's, held no deception to its actual temperature, but Edward was too much less than ready for their first contact to think any further. He expected warmth, no doubt, and steel, the delicate structuring of her bones were just a farce; what he did not expect was the startling jolt of electricity that shot through his entire body the very instant their hands made the slightest tough. I was unnerving (delightfully so) among other things.

As he slanted his glance down at her, Edward caught the fiery Fae with her eyes riveted at the sight of their fingers, skin to skin, pleasantly warm to beyond freezing. A comical mix of disbelief, shock and… Was it fascination? She turned to meet his gaze, the movement slow and deliberate, as if she felt the question burning in him. It was. Fascination and something else, something that called to his baser instincts.

Awareness flared between them, desire flamed, and the winds that teased the small clearing only seemed to fan that particular fire, instead of subduing it. Someone in the Heaven-Bound clan had to be pulling strings, Edward couldn't remember a woman so terribly compelling, or perhaps he simply forgot the allures of the female body… Not likely. Which meant it was _highly likely_ that some mystical outside force, in the form of Esme Aphrodite Evenson, was at work. Hell's teeth

She was the goddess of love, the epitome of beauty and the creator of raw sexuality, Esme 'Aphrodite' Evenson, more popularly known as 'Aphrodite'. But she was always Esme to him. Edward considered her a second mother or an older sister perhaps. Esme was loving and kind, on rare occasions stern, but the better part of her time was spent on lavishing endless affections to any creature she deemed in need of it. Then again, that would mean everything, from the littlest seedling, to a broken dove, and to an equally broken Edward, or so Esme claims.

Edward didn't think he was broken, and if he was, he should know. Meddling woman, he swore without heat. It was then suspicion seeped back into Bella's captivating eyes. The immediately hardened, the liquid brown crystallizing. She pumped his hand up and down twice. Firmly. Before jerking her hand back so abruptly, one would have thought he'd scalded her. Still, Edward didn't, couldn't, let go, he held her delicately bone hand, small in his, gently, lingering a moment too long. She tensed, nervous, and ready to strike, he decided he liked that about her. All that coiled up tension, ready to be released, he liked a lot about her, her flaws if she had any, all of it.

Carefully, and gingerly he brought her fingers to his lips, and kissed each finger tip gently. She was like a deer in headlights, frozen, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. But there the similarities ended, he wanted her, but unlike the deer, once she'd gotten far enough, she'd turn back and shoot him. He didn't want to lose a body part as much as he wanted to claim her. Her heart beat accelerated into a sprint. And he grinned against her skin, flipping her hand to press his lips into her palm; he could almost taste her sweet blood, her pulse was like candy, so very tempting. Her heart was thundering loudly now, till it almost sounded as if it was going into seizure. He wouldn't want that, would he? Having his sweet captive die on him, would certainly put a damper on his plans, for the greater good, for his clan, for the lycanthropes, for his _little brother_, for himself, for his lovely prisoner… And mostly, for them both.

Groaning inwardly, Edward pulled away, it was too tempting. He wanted to lick her soft skin, just once. Just. One. Taste. But no, one taste would never be enough, the greedy incorrigible creature he was demanded more. And more would very well mean, their clothes in tatters and getting down and dirty on the ground, with a pretty wide, and maybe under aged, audience. Edward didn't consider himself an exhibitionist. It was so déclassé. Bella didn't seem like one either. But if she was willing to perform for him… He traced a finger down her vein, before releasing her hand completely.

She was staring at him, his lips to be precise. He knew what she wanted, and he wanted it to. Then her gaze skittered south and she gulped. Oh praise the gods, was she trying to convince him to get down and dirty with her? Not that he needed much convincing. He already felt harder by the second, a lot harder.

She licked her lips, "Uhm… Wow."

* * *

**Please review! I love reviews. And I can't say I'd update faster the next time, but they really **_**really**_** motivate me. So review! Please.**


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